Struggles
by Kiriin
Summary: Aomine has never really gotten over Kuroko


He'd seen it coming all along, an unrequited love that would never be mutual. He tried his best really, to make himself be seen by the other. But as much as the other was mostly invisible to others, he was invisible to him instead - or well, his intentions were.

It messed up his whole attitude towards things, slowly his passion for basketball changed to nothing more than aversion for what he once loved.

And even now in High school that attitude remained, to irritation of his childhood friend. "Aomine-kun.. You really should start coming to practice!" Momoi had lectured him so many times already, telling him to get over it. He simply couldn't, and even Momoi was aware of how much it hurt the guy.

"Shut up Satsuki." Was his only blunt answer before he turned on his side. Sleeping on Touo academy's rooftops was the only thing that could grant him some rest these days. It gave him some time to think, but also time to thinking about the guy he loved so much..

Would he be happy at that other school, Seirin wasn't it? He heard the team there sucked ass though with him joining they could eventually become a worthy opponent. Or so, he hoped.

His mind slowly made him wander off, imagining how it would be to stand opposite as enemies on the field. It gave him a headache. He'd always been so serious about it, despite the fact that he wasn't as talented as the others of the Generation of Miracles. Akashi on the contrary saw some strange potential in him, that's why he got on the team in the first place.

Though, Aomine looked back at his time at Teikou as one of the best years he'd ever had. The thing he would never forget was how they used to play together; He and Tetsu. As light and shadow.

But deep in his heart he'd wanted it to be more than that.

"I've heard he has a new light now." Momoi had once said at the start of the first year. It had ripped his heart apart. In an anger rampage he'd wrecked the entire Touo gym, got scolded by Imayoshi and coach Harasawa and got suspended from the team at the first match of the Inter High - which Touo won easily without him.

It didn't help soothing Aomine's confused mind, instead it only fueled his anger until the match against Seirin. The moment he caught a glimpse of Kuroko at the other side of the court something inside him snapped.

A tall guy, approximately as tall as he himself was stood next to him.. A guy he'd never seen before. His new light? His brow furrowed, his anger feeding his competitively. They could never be as synced and in control of the flow of play as he and Kuroko once had.

They wouldn't stand a chance.

And even after Touo winning the match with a large difference Aomine wasn't satisfied – sure victory was sweet and he'd shown the team that his foul mood hadn't changed his play. He was as strong and wild as ever and even Imayoshi was delighted by the outcome. (the guy was so hard to please these days)

But it didn't soothe him, not in the least. He'd spend most of his spare time on a small open court in his neighbourhood, sighing every time the ball made it through the net. "How boring…" He muttered, sweeping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. His formless shots were as solid as ever. There was nothing else he could do but wait – wait until they'd meet again.

"_The only one who can beat me is me!"_

"Ah, Aominecchi?~"

A familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts; a blond guy stared at him from a distance and slowly approached him. "What do you want Kise?" He retorted, not seeming the least interested in the guy. He dribbled the ball, ran towards the basket with a lay-up until he hung onto the ring, the ball bouncing down on the floor as it had gotten itself through the hoop.

"So mean~" Was Kise's predictable answer, yet he didn't seem as much affected as back in Teikou. He leaned casually against the fence, watching how Aomine landed back on both feet again. "I already had a hunch Aominecchi would be here."

"What's it to you really? Are you here to congratulate me? Is that it?" Aomine grinned towards the blond before bending down to pick up the basketball.

Kise frowned, his arms crossed over his chest. "I am here to check up on you for Momocchi."

"Tch… She's not my babysitter or anything."

"So you won against Seirin huh?" Kise didn't seem to be just here for a light-hearted chat, his expression was dead serious and slightly annoyed, despite the fact Aomine wasn't gifted in reading people's expressions he could clearly see how the blonde sort of looked down on him. It pissed him off.

"And that's how it's supposed to be, I've told you many times before Kise – the only one who can beat me is me."

"As if I haven't heard that before… I'm not here to worry about you, I'm worried about Kurokocchi."

Ah, so that was the reason why he visited all of a sudden? If Kuroko would be involved he wouldn't hesitate to do anything – how pathetic.

But… wasn't he exactly the same back then? He'd rely on Kuroko whenever he could even though the guy didn't even notice why he did so. He'd never gotten anything in return and now they had faced each other like enemies Aomine had once again witnessed the fact that Kuroko had no intentions of getting close with him in the first place.

And that Kagami… A challenge which only turned out to be disappointing, he could've stayed on the bench if it wasn't for the coach insisting him to play. Touo would've won even without his play.

"Tetsuya… he's changed." He started, not caring to look at Kise as he spoke. "Apparently his lie about wanting to quit basketball because he came to dislike the sport but… it's because he broke free from all bonds with the Generation of Miracles.. But instead it wasn't something more personal than that." Only then Aomine looked Kise straight in the eyes, the latter was slightly surprised by the look on his face – he smiled.

"Aominecchi.."

"What's with the long face idiot?" He barked, that smile gone as quickly as it came. He picked up his sports bag and shuffled towards the blond, simply walking past him. "C'mon let's get some food, I'm starving. "

Kise was slightly dumbfounded by what he just saw, but decided to just brush it off as it seemed Aomine was back to normal again. With a smile of his own he slowly followed the other, at least he'd managed to see him smile after such a long time.


End file.
